Fighting back: Congressman Steve Scalise’s return to the Capitol will be based on his doctors’ advice and a date has not yet been determined. A spokeswoman for the House Majority Whip says the congressman participated today in a conference call with fellow Republican lawmakers, making clear that he’s focused on his inpatient rehabilitation. Scalise was shot when a gunman opened fire on Republican baseball practice in mid-June. He was struck in the hip, and the bullet tore into blood vessels, bones and internal organs. He has had several surgeries and was released from the hospital in late July. Read more from The Associated Press.
Powering up: Louisiana taxpayers who added solar panels to their homes have until Thursday, Aug. 31, to claim a tax credit for residential solar energy systems installed through 2015. Lawmakers set aside $5 million a year, up to $15 million over three years, to clear a backlog of credits that went unpaid when the state abruptly capped and ended the tax break program as a budget-balancing maneuver. The revenue department says taxpayers who purchased qualifying systems—and didn’t previously submit tax credit claims—must file their claims electronically. Taxpayers who previously submitted claims but were denied because of the cap don’t need to refile. But if they didn’t get a letter from the revenue department about the tax credit.
Sweet treat: An upcoming update to Google’s Android software finally will be known as Oreo, extending Google’s tradition of naming each version after a sweet treat. Google anointed the software today after spending the past few months referring to it as “Android O.” Oreo boasts several new features, including the ability to respond to notifications directly on a phone’s home screen and the ability to access apps without installing them on a device. The free software is scheduled to be released this fall, most likely after making its debut on a new Pixel phone that Google is expected to begin selling in October. Read more from The Associated Press.
